Centrifugal machine



Nov. 13, 1923.

A. R ROBERTSON ET AL CENTR I FUGALM MACHINE Filed Nov. 10

192i 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVE/V O/E'S F. P0651? TSoN fiLEX/VNDER 21 bulvsmo s'.

Nov. 13,1923. 7' 1,474,331

A. R. ROBERTSQN ET AL GENTRIFUGAL MACHINE Filed Nov. 10. 1921 4 Shets-Sheet IN VEN T03 NOV. 19230 I A. R. ROBERTSON ET AL 'CENTRIF'UGAL MACHINE Filed Nov. 10 .1921 4 Sheets-Sheet O o l Nov. 13, 1923. 1,474,331

A. RIROBERTSON ET AL CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE Filed Nov. 10. 192i 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 33, 1923.

ANDREVT ROBERTSON AND ALEXANDER FRASER DUNSMORR, or GLASGOW, SCOTLAND. I 1 7 CENTR-IFUGAL MACHINE.

Application filed November 10, 1921.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ANDREW RoRnR'r' RoBnRrsoN and ALEXANDER FRASER DUNS- MORE, subjects of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and residents of Glasgow, Scotland, engineers, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Machines, of which the following is the specification.

The invention relates to centrifugal machines principally intended for use in drying or treating sugar and other granular materials and of the type in which the discharge of the contents is caused or assisted by a plough device of the kind in which the plough is secured on the lower end of a spindle vertically movable within the revolving basket and carried on the outer stationary or monitor casing in such a position that it is within the basket and adjacent to its inner periphery. The invention has for its object to so support and arrange a plough device of this'type that it is constrained to keep always in the same position relatively to the basket notwithstanding oscillation of the latter owing to unbalanced load or other cause.

According to the invention, the plough which with its operating and allied gear is of substantially known form, is supported on a member which member is operatively connected to the machine spindle on the one hand in such wise that while it does not r'otate therewith it is constrained to follow it in its oscillatory movements, and on the other hand it is flexibly anchored to a fixed part in such wise that while it may follow the oscillatory motions of the spindle, it is constrained against rotation therewith.

In carrying out the invention according to an illustrative example, the member carrying the plough and its mechanism is in the form of an arm radially disposed over the basket, and having at its inner end a bush engaging the spindle, and, at its outer end, universally pivoted to the stationary monitor casing-for example, pivoted .011 a block sliding in radial guides on the monitor casing. According to another illustrative example, the radial arm having a bush engaging the spindle, is connected by a sleeve loosely embracing the spindle to a plate flexible enough to give the desired flexible. an chorage, which plate is in turn rigidly sup Serial No. 514,324.

, ported from a stationary overhead part of the machine.

Illustrations of these two examples are given upon four accompanying sheets or drawings, Figure 1, being apart sectional elevation, Figure 2, a part plan of the first example, Figure 3, a part sectional elevation of the second example, while Figures 4 and 5 are part sectional elevations at right angles to one another on an enlarged scale of the plough mechanism.

In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, the radial arm 10 supporting the plough 11 and its operating parts (hereinafter described) has at its inner end a capped hearing 12 engaged by the machine spindle 13. At its outer end the arm slides on a block 14 (Figures 1 and 5) between guides 15, which block is pivoted on a stud 16 in a base plate 17 bolted to the stationary monitor case 18.

In the example shown in Figure 3, the arm 10 remains substantially the same, but instead of its being flexibly anchored against rotation to the monitor case 18, it

is anchored by a sleeve 19 secured in the bearing 12 loosely encircling the spindle 18, and secured by a flanged piece 20 to a flexible plate 21 which is rigidly supported by four hangers 22 depending from the beams 23 from which the whole machine is suspended.

The plough supporting and operating gear which is shown in Figure 41 is of substantially known form and consists of a rack bar 24: carrying the plough 11 at its lower end and supported in a sleeve 25 in which it is held against rotation by key-andfeather devices. A pinion 26 mounted in an embossage on the sleeve on a spindle 27 on which is externally a crank handle 28, operatively engages a rack 29 on the rack bar 24 by which it is raised and lowered. A ratchet device 30 retains the rack bar in any position in which it may be raised.

The sleeve 25 is rotatably mounted in'a boss 38 on the arm 10 and has fast on it a 'wormwheel 31 engaged by a worm 32 on a A hook 39 adapted to engage and support the valve 36 may very conveniently be pivoted betweenlugs 37 on the inner end of the bearing 12.

An adyantage of the improved means of supporting the plough is that thrust set up between basket and plough when the latter is in operation, is self-containedwithin the mechanism and therefore does not tend to affect the stability of running of the basket.

What we claim is i 1. The combination with a centrifugal machine having a spindle susceptible to los cillation, of a plough, and a pl0ugh-supporting arm extending from the spindle and 1 engaging the spindle to partake of its .os-

cillation, and means for flexibly anchoring said supporting arm against rotation with the spindle.

2. The combination with a centrifugal maohine having-a rotary basket an oscilla- \Inaohinehaving a rotary basket, an oscillatory spindle therefor and a stationary casingsurrou-nding thebasket of a plough and.

a plough-supporting arm engaging the spindle for oscillation therewith and having a flexible anchorage to the casing to hold the arm against rotation with the spindle, said anchorage comprising a pivoted guide block-with whichsaid arm has a sliding engagement.

In testimony whereof we havetsigned our names to this specification.

ANDREW R. ROBERTSON. ALEXANDER FRASER DUNSMORE. 

